Articles Tagged With: FHA

February 7, 2018

Can I Get An FHA Loan With A Collection In My Credit History?

Can I get an FHA loan with a collection in my credit history? The answer can be complex since no two credit histories are alike, but there are some general guidelines that can help you understand where you might be in terms of the ability to get a home loan approved even with a collection in your credit record. It should be understood that what follows are the FHA guidelines for the loan approval process in terms of dealing with a credit issue; lender standards may also apply (and often do) above and beyond these rules. HUD 4000.1 has the rules for lender requirements when processing a loan with collections in the borrower’s credit history. The rules start out by describing what the FHA considers a “collection”. “A Collection Account | more...

February 5, 2018

Does Being A Co-Signer Affect My FHA Loan Application?

By Bruce Reichstein

Does being a cosigner on another loan or line of credit affect your chances at FHA home loan approval? It’s a good question to ask before you commit yourself to being named on another person’s loan. HUD 4000.1 has the FHA loan rules for “contingent liabilities” created when you cosign another person’s loan, starting with the basic definition of the term: “A Contingent Liability refers to a liability that may result in the obligation to repay only when a specific event occurs. For example, a contingent liability exists when an individual can be held responsible for the repayment of a debt if another legally obligated party defaults on the payment.” This section of the FHA home loan rules adds that contingent liabilities can include, “Cosigner liabilities and liabilities resulting from | more...

February 2, 2018

How Do Student Loans Affect My FHA Home Loan Application?

By Joe Wallace

How do student loans affect my FHA home loan application? Some applicants worry about the amount of student loan debt they carry; after all the lender is required to determine the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio as a means to judge whether the loan is affordable or not. The debt ratio must be calculated using existing monthly debt, including student loans that are in forbearance. The fact that the loans are not being paid on at application time isn’t as critical as the idea that the loans may become a monthly obligation in the future, affecting the borrower’s ability to pay the mortgage loan. What do FHA loan rules say about student loans, and those student loans that are in deferment or forbearance? We use those two terms interchangeably here, defined as | more...

FHA One Time Close Construction Loan Option

February 1, 2018

FHA One-Time Close Construction Loan Rules For Maximum Mortgage, Down Payment

By Bruce Reichstein

FHA One-Time Close / Single-Close Construction Loan rules for maximum mortgage amounts and down payments are found in the FHA loan handbook, HUD 4000.1. The FHA One-Time Close mortgage, also known as a construction-to-permanent loan, lets borrowers apply for a loan to have a home built for them using only a single application, loan approval, and closing date. HUD 4000.1 describes it as follows: “A Construction to Permanent Mortgage combines the features of a construction loan (a short-term interim loan for financing the cost of construction) and the traditional long- term permanent residential Mortgage with a single mortgage closing prior to the start of construction”. FHA One-Time Close / Single-Close Construction Loan Maximum Loan Amount Rules Maximum mortgage amounts for FHA One Time Close loans are determined “by using the | more...

February 1, 2018

Things You Should Know About FHA Home Loans

By Joe Wallace

There are many things you should know about FHA loans before you start the application process; myths and half-understood features of this home loan program still confuse some applicants going into the process. What follows should help you better understand the basics of the FHA home loan program. FHA Loans Are Not Just For First-Time Home Buyers There is no restriction on FHA loans for those who have purchased a home before. There are no separate terms, qualifications, or other rules for those who have purchased before. All FHA loan applicants who are financially qualified are welcome to apply. FHA Loans Are Available For Condos, Mobile Homes, and Mixed-Use Properties Suburban homes are just one of the types of property you can buy with an FHA mortgage. You can purchase | more...

January 30, 2018

Who Can Legally Sign My FHA Home Loan Documents?

By Bruce Reichstein

Who can legally sign my FHA home loan documents? That may seem like an obvious question to some, but there are circumstances where the borrower themselves may be unable to sign the paperwork to complete the loan transaction. What options do borrowers have in these situations when applying for an FHA mortgage, refinance loan, or reverse mortgage? FHA Loan Rules For Signatures: The Basics The rules covering a borrower’s legally binding signature on loan documents used to process FHA home loans can be found in HUD 4000.1, which begins by stating: “All Borrowers must sign and date the initial and final Fannie Mae Form 1003/Freddie Mac Form 65, Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA). All Borrowers must sign and date page two of the initial form HUD-92900-A, HUD/VA Addendum to Uniform | more...

Is U.S. Citizenship Required For An FHA One-Time Close Construction Loan?

January 29, 2018

FHA One-Time Close Construction Loans: Down Payments and Interest Rates

By Bruce Reichstein

FHA One-Time Close / Single-Close construction loans have different requirements for down payments and interest rate issues can be more complex; many borrowers are interested in this home loan but aren’t clear on the finer points. Today we examine how down payment issues and interest rate rules apply to the FHA One-Time Close construction loan. The FHA loan handbook, HUD 4000.1 describes the One-Time Close loan, also known as an FHA construction-to-permanent mortgage, as a loan that “…combines the features of a construction loan (a short-term interim loan for financing the cost of construction) and the traditional long- term permanent residential Mortgage with a single mortgage closing prior to the start of construction”. FHA One-Time Close Construction Loan Down Payment Rules HUD 4000.1 allows for some unique down payment sources | more...

January 26, 2018

HUD Announces Major Review Of Manufactured Housing Rules

By Joe Wallace

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued a press release announcing a major review of manufactured housing rules. According to the HUD official site, the agency is in the public comment period prior to “a top-to-bottom review of its manufactured housing rules as part of a broader effort to identify regulations that may be ineffective, overly burdensome, or excessively costly given the critical need for affordable housing.” For the next 30 days, the agency says it will accept public comments “to identify existing or planned manufactured housing regulatory actions to assess their actual and potential compliance costs and whether those costs are justified against the backdrop of the nation’s shortage of affordable housing”. General changes in manufactured housing regulations may not seem to have anything to do with | more...

January 23, 2018

FHA Loans After Bankruptcy

By Joe Wallace

FHA loans after bankruptcy are possible, and there are many potential FHA loan applicants who are very curious what next steps are following a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceeding in terms of becoming a home owner either again, or for the first time. The most important things to remember about FHA loans after a bankruptcy is that some basic issues will affect your chances for a new home loan above and beyond the rules of your Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. In addition to the guidelines you must follow depending on the type of bankruptcy you filed, FHA loan requirements, lender standards, and your own credit activity following the discharge of your bankruptcy will be crucial in determining your credit worthiness for the new mortgage. Lender standards will | more...

January 22, 2018

FHA Loans And Cash Back At Closing

By Bruce Reichstein

FHA loans and cash back at closing-many borrowers want to know if they can take cash out on an FHA mortgage loan and the answer isn’t as simple as yes or no. FHA home loan rules allow cash back as a routine part of the transaction for FHA Cash-Out Refinancing and for FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) also known as FHA Reverse Mortgages. In general terms, the borrower is not permitted cash back on “forward mortgages” used to buy property rather than refinance it. A borrower is permitted to have an escrow account for certain mortgage loans that allow payouts to contractors or for the purchase of materials, supplies, and other required items for renovation, upgrades, or construction. But that isn’t the same thing as cash back to the | more...